Still may thy hoary brow proclaim
The perishable boast of power—
The visionary hopes of fame!
And slowly as thy changing shade
May Time’s dark current onward flow,
Through many a chequer’d scene convey’d
Of human bliss and human woe.
THE ROYAL DUTCH CHIMNEY.
The first rays of the sun were gilding the dancing waves of the Neva, and the roofs of the fast-rising city of St. Petersburg. Silence still reigned within the dockyards, as a young man, dressed in the German fashion, seated himself upon a coil of ropes and leant his head upon his hand.
“What lazy folks these Russians are,” peevishly he murmured; “my uncle needed not have awakened me so early, so I may as well take a nap whilst I am waiting here,” thus saying, he closed his eyes, stretched himself at length upon the cordage, and was quickly asleep.
Shortly afterwards, a man of tall and majestic stature, on whose every feature nobility was stamped, walked by the spot with a firm step. A brown coat of coarse cloth, cut in the Dutch fashion, and a small fur cap, composed the most prominent parts of his attire; he carried in his hand a knotted cane of immense size. This individual halted before a colossal vessel then being constructed on the stocks, and after gazing at it for some moments attentively, exclaimed—
“What do I see? are my workmen all mad? These timbers are all awry!” Then casting a searching glance around—“I see no ropes,” he continued; “but, if I mistake not, here is what I am looking for.”
He approached the spot where the young man was sleeping, drew forth a coil of rope, and was about to commence his work; but the young man started quickly to his feet, and seized hold of the rope, exclaiming angrily—
“Stay there, you rogue. I wont suffer my uncle’s property to be thus slyly stolen.”
“Steal!” responded the stranger; “I merely took the rope for a few moments, intending to return it almost immediately.”
“Take and steal, is the same thing here,” replied the young man. “Let go the rope, if you do not long for a good thrashing,” and he shook his fist at the offender with angry menace.
“Great booby,” cried the stranger, “here is a rouble; you will lend me the rope now, will you not?”
“Is it possible!” ejaculated the young man, “you speak German, and you take me for one of those miserable Russians who sell themselves soul and body for a piece of money. Keep your rouble, and take yourself off.”
“You have a good opinion, young man, it seems of this country.”
The young man looked at him with an ingenuous air, and replied, “You are not a Russian; and I will tell you frankly, that I have not a good opinion of that people. This is only the eighth day since my arrival in their villainous country; and as I cannot amuse myself in it, I shall make my way out of it as soon as I have once had a sight of that madman, its emperor.”
“Why do you call the emperor a madman?” asked the other, as he seated himself beside his hitherto opponent.
“I will tell you,” replied the young German familiarly, “you are a German, and although I took you for a thief, you appear to me, now I look at you more attentively, to have a tolerably honest face. The emperor, mark you, is a madman, because he thinks to make rational men of these boorish Russians; and you must know as well as I, that it is an utter impossibility. Look you,” he continued, as he stooped to pick up a small piece of wood, “it would be as easy to inform these Russians, as for
